


Flight

by radialarch



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: 221B Ficlet, Birds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-23
Updated: 2013-08-23
Packaged: 2017-12-24 08:58:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/938067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radialarch/pseuds/radialarch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock tried to fly, once, a long time ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aderyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aderyn/gifts).



> For [aderyn](/users/aderyn), who likes birds and words ♥

Feathers on the kitchen floor, in the air, muffling John's mouth. Sherlock with a black-winged shadow under his scalpel.

“What,” John says.

“Did you know,” Sherlock says, rather feathered himself, “corvids are self-aware?”

“Better than you,” John says, pushes down at the knobs of Sherlock’s shoulders before he can take flight. With a surprised whump, he settles into a chair and looks up unblinking. “How long have you been awake?”

“Don’t know; lost track,” Sherlock says, fingers aflutter.

“Right,” John sighs, plucking bits of down from Sherlock’s hair until both his curls and brilliant eyes have lost some of their wind-tumbled look. He pats one knee to make sure Sherlock stays while he puts the kettle on.

“I tried to fly, once,” Sherlock says, pensive, primaries and secondaries spread neatly under his hands. “A long time ago.”

John imagines Sherlock, small and hollow-boned, tumbling through the air. “Well,” he says, pressing a cup of tea into Sherlock’s long fingers, like the warmth and solidity of it can keep Sherlock earthbound, “you’re still here.”

Sherlock stares at him, head cocked, curious. “I fell,” he says, mouth a sharp twist. “I wouldn’t have done it again.”

* * *

Later, atop Barts, Sherlock remembers the gravity of John’s voice; but John's too far to ground him now, and he steps forward, heart quivering like a bird’s.


End file.
